Brassiere



Aug. 10, 1948. P. AMYoT 2,446,683

BRASS 1ERE Filed Aug. 22, 1944 lNVENTR PIERRE'HYUT ATTORNEYS Patentedug. l0, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRASSIRE Pierre Amyot, Quebec,Quebec. Canada Application August 22, 1944, Serial No. 550,581

1 claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in brassires.

The problem lof providing a close-tting brassire which gives the desiredbust-molding and supporting eiect without discomfort to the wearer hasusually been dealt with by incorporating, in the central portion of thebrassire, a tensioning strap or elastic fabric insert including rubberthreads or yarns which extend in the circumferential direction of thebrassire and impart stretch characteristics enabling the brassire tostretch easily to conform closely to the bust when the brassire issecured in place.

The existing scarcity of rubber, as well as certain disadvantages andinconveniences attending the use of rubber threads in brassires has ledto the adoption of other expedients for providing resilientstretchability in the circumferential direction. Inserts of varioustypes of knitted fabrics have been tried, as well as inserts of wovenfabric cut and inserted on the bias but these and other expedients havenot only failed to provide the requisite degree of resilientstretchability but have also made it diicult to provide a brassire thatwill cling closely to the bust with the desired bustmoldng andsupporting tension.

The present invention has been developed to meet the needs of theexisting situation and consists in providing, in the front centralportion of a brassire, a specially shaped insert made of woven fabricwhich has no rubber threads incorporated therein but has considerableelastic stretch in one direction, the shape, construction, and method ofincorporating said insert being such that it imparts to the brassirestretch and form-fitting characteristics which have heretofore beenobtainable only by the use of rubber-yarn inserts with theircharacteristic disadvantages.

Proceeding now to a, more detailed description of the inventionreference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l isa front view of a brassire embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear View of said brassire.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the woven fabric insert which isincorporated in the front central portion of the brassire shown in Figs.1 and 2.

Fig 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a slightl modification.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In these drawings my improved brassire is generally indicated at 4. Itcomprisesa pair of breast-pocket sections 5 having-their `innerportionsjoined to alcentralt section 6 and theirouter portions `joinedto side`sections v1, the latter being equipped with complementary fasteningdevices 8 and 9, of the hook and eye type, for securing the brassire inplace about the body of the wearer. Conventional shoulder straps I0 areshown connected between the breast-pocket sections 5 and thesidesections 1.

The breast-pocket sections 5 and the side sections 'I are made of anysuitable material land preferably have little or no stretch inanyvdirection.

Thecentral section 6 comprises upper and lower parts which are sewntogether in overlapping: relation. The upper part of this section isindicated at I2 and comprises a panel formed with concavely curved sideedges which are sewn to the breast-pocket sections 5 and a V-shapedlower end portion I2a which overlaps and is sewn to the central portionof the lower part I3 of section 6.

The part I3 of section 6 comprises a piece of woven fabric which is cutand folded upon itself to provide an insert having a straight upper edgeportion I4, concavely curved upper edge portions I5, straight end edgeportions I6 and a full-length concavely curved lower edge portion II.The fabric is folded so that the body of the insert is of two-plythickness while the lower edge portion is of four-ply thickness. In theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the four-ply thickness atthe lower edge of the insert is obtained by turning the lower edges ofthe two body-forming plies so that said turned edges are disposed to lieone upon the other at one side of the body portion of the insert. In themodified construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the four-ply thickness isobtained by turning the lower edges of the fabric inwardly between thetwo body-forming plies.

The part I3 of section 6 is secured in place by sewing the curved upperedge portions I5 to the breast-pocket sections 5 and sewing the endedges I6 to similar end edges I9 of portions of the side sections 'Iwhich underlie the breast-pocket sections 5.

The part I3 of `section 6 is made of woven fabric which includes norubber yarns b-ut is woven so that the fabric is relativelynon-stretchable in the direction of its length but is capable ofconsiderable elastic stretch and contraction in the direction of itswidth. In making the part I3 this fabric is cut, folded and inserted inthe bras- 3 sire so that its direction of stretch is in thecircumferential direction of the brassire. The fourply thickness at thelower edge of part I3 prevents edge-curling and controls the stretchcharacteristics of this part of the brassire.

The specific contour of part I3 is an important factor which enhancesthe close-fitting and breast-molding characteristics of the brassire inaddition to providing a degree of circumferential elasticity equal tothat previously obtainable only by the use of rubber yarn. In thisconnection it may be explained that when the brassire is sev cured aboutthe body of the wearer the part I3 is tensioned and the concave loweredge I'I permits part I3 to stretch until said edge I'I becomesapproximately a straight line. The stretching along the curved upperedges I5 of part I3 causes the in` 4 per inner side edges of thebreast-pocket sections, said upper part of said central section beingformed with a lower end overlapping the central portion of the lowerpart of said central section, said overlapping end being sewn along itslower marginal edge to the central portion of the lower part of saidcentral section, said lower part of said central section comprising awoven fabric folded to provide a two-ply insert having the fold line atthe upper edge thereof, said edge presenting a straight central portionand concavely r -curved portions lying at opposite sides of said Y,central portion and sewn to the inner lower edge sert to exert adesirable uplifting and molding-.

effect on the adjacent portions of the breasts, thus and lower partssewn together in overlapping relation, the upper part of said centralsection comprising a single ply panel formed with concavely curved sideedges joined to conv-exly curved upportions of said breast-pocketsections, said insert` also presenting straight end edges sewn tocorresponding end edges of portions of the side F'sections which extendbeneath and underlie the breast-pocket sections and a full-lengthconcavely curved lower edge portion, said insert consisting entirely ofinelastic yarns woven so that, by virtue of its shape and weave, theinsert is relatively non-stretchable in the vertical direction of theinsert and is capable of considerable elastic stretch in thecircumferential of the insert.

PIERRE AMYOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,863,697 Rutledge June 21, 19322,130,534 Bowen Sept. 20, 1938 2,152,910` Childs Apr. 4, 1939 2,267,595McKeefrey Dec. 23, 1941 2,337,810 Glick Dec. 28, 1943

